Secrets That The Heart Holds
by ShadowRose75
Summary: Mizuki seems to have it all, but her life as a prodigy in a respectable clan of a great village isn't so simple. Her life becomes more complicated as she draws close to a certain boy, Itachi Uchiha. What will happen when life takes a drastic turn for the both of them? Will Mizuki live up to expectations or will she follow her heart? Is there a way for her to do both?
1. Prologue

Prologue

War. Military power. Fighting. Peace. This is what ninjas are used for, either for maintaining peace among villages, going off to war, or fulfilling missions their leaders send them on. Whether it's for greed, power, or good intentions, ninjas will always be around, either for themselves or for others. Each village replies on their military powers, their ninjas, or seeks aid from allies. Each land, every village, they all want strong ninjas so they stay strong. Ninja clans are the same; they want to produce strong shinobi to carry on the family name and to help make their lineage and their village stronger. Constant change occurs in each village. Lost of power, gain of power, leaders gone, leaders gained, ninjas come and go, wartime, peacetime, forming alliances or breaking them, but regardless of these tucks in power, everyday life goes on.

Konoha is no different. A relatively peaceful village, but a powerful one, filled with civilians, ninja, and several clans. The Hisui clan resides here. High intelligence, amazing combat skills, and natural talent for genjutsu, it is no wonder they remain one of the most prominent clans, right up there with the Hyuga and Uchiha clans. Just like every other clan, they produce a genius every few generations. A prodigy with incomparable talent. The one with several expectations placed on his or her shoulders, both from his or her clan and from the village. Their most recent prodigy is a girl, the eldest child of the head of the clan. All sorts of rumors have been spread throughout the village and even beyond the village about her, ever since she was young. But they've never known the real her, the woman she has bottled inside.

Konoha is my home. A very wonderful home, surrounded by people I care about. Most of them anyway. I never asked to be the Hisui prodigy. I never asked for all the expectations on my shoulders either. But as a ninja, I'm supposed to fight, right? Because I am a great ninja? This is a partially true statement. There has always been some level of fighting in the ninja world, and there probably always will be, but there has to be a level of peace, too. I go on missions and will always do so for the sake of my village like other ninjas, but I am finding peace in my life as well as for others. Unlike others though, I'm doing it for all the good intentions. Not for power like other ninjas and villages but for my dreams and for those I care about. I have always wanted to fulfill my own dreams. To never give up. To reach my full capability. To protect my village. To stand up for my clan, my brothers, my friends, my loved ones, my comrades, my fellow villagers, despite their challenges and my hard past. To meet their expectations and help fulfill their dreams.

Expectations pain me, but at the same time, they're what I live for. They're all I know. But friendship, family, love, those are things I grew to know, too, those things also play a role. Both my village and my clan expected me to be a great shinobi, one that will help protect the village, to fight and help maintain peace, to maintain my clan's strength. Yet several thought I was strange or viewed me from a critical stand point or even went as far to underestimate me. I wanted to succeed and prove everyone wrong, to show that this girl can do well for herself and follow her heart at the same time, to also be able to help others that she cares about.

They say everything happens for a reason, and I suppose they are right. I've seen many things during my life, and I believe that I'm finally starting to figure out the reasons for their occurrences. While I regret many things, I appreciate many other things. I never expected for my life to unfold this way, but it turns out, life doesn't always go according to plan. My clan and my village expected me to be a great ninja. I suppose this is correct too because I believe that I have indeed become a great ninja. I worked hard for it. But I didn't become the person, or the woman, that everyone expected me to be, with me being the least expecting of it. In my life, I lived through all the expectations and challenges that have been thrown at me. I still do face those odds, but I refuse to give up, and I believe that things are starting to change for the better. So much happens along this journey called life. And the drastic changes in my life began after I met a boy named Itachi Uchiha.


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

Yes, I was fully aware of the looks I was getting. Some were curious side glances, some quizzical or critical gazes, some full out stares. Either way, they were looking at me, examining this girl standing in their mists. From other kids, their parents, even the teachers. Standing there among my fellow students, I listened to the Third Hokage, who was giving his speech on our education at the Ninja Academy, congratulating us proudly for entering and touching on our futures as ninjas, how we were going to carry on the Will of Fire along our journeys. Some of the other kids looked excited, some nervous, and some bored. Parents gazed on, smiling proudly at their kids, practically beaming. Glancing at my parents, I wished I hadn't looked.

My mother was smiling tenderly, her greenish-grey eyes softened at my gaze, pride and happiness filling her gentle features. Her light black hair fell down to her mid-back. Standing next to her was my father, his arms folded over his chest. His pure black hair was short, and his facial expression was cold, like it usually was. His cold blue eyes were closed, giving the impression he didn't care to be there. But it was okay. His cold eyes usually gave the impression that he could see through anyone or anything, a trait that I noticed he passed onto me and my younger brother Daitan. I realized that it sometimes made people uncomfortable, as I sometimes saw people avert their gaze momentary or have an awkward facial expression after looking at our eyes. Some people were fine with it, some weren't, but it really didn't bother me because everyone was different, and opinions could change.

Regret tucked on my heart as I looked back at the Hokage. While my mother was happy and proud, I knew the only reason my father was there was because he had to and also to make sure I lived up to our clan's expectations. He told me that several times already, that I couldn't let them down, that I needed to be strong for them and the village. It also bothered me some that my brother wasn't able to come, and I'm sure that he would have loved to have been there. But my parents thought it best for him to stay home with a relative until they got back because he might have gotten a little restless standing there or gotten lost in the crowd.

The stares continued, even as the Hokage's speech finished and everyone clapped. Those stares became more open and pointed as I made my way over to my parents. My mother's smile grew as she placed her hand on my shoulder and lightly squeezed in encouragement. "I'm so proud of you dear."

I would have returned her smile if it wasn't for my father, narrowing his eyes on me. "Make sure you do well while you're here, Mizuki. You know how much our clan is counting on you."

Obediently nodding and then bowing my head down in response, I bit my lower lip. "_That's all he cares about . . . Me doing well. Is that all I am to him? A clan's prodigy?_" Regret kept tucking on me, disappointment filling my body.

My mother gave my shoulder another encouraging squeeze, worry in her features now, but that didn't dampen her smile. Other parents paused to have a word with my parents, but all I really focused on were the stares I felt on me and the whispers I heard flowing around. The more I heard, the more disappointed I felt.

"That girl there, isn't she the Hisui prodigy?"

"I wonder if she's as good as they say she is."

"I would have to see her talent for myself before believing that she's that _wonderful_." Emphasis had been added to word 'wonderful,' making me think that man didn't believe I was that good.

"She looks just like her father and the other Hisui's. Their eyes are so creepy looking."

"I think her hair is way too long. Why doesn't she cut it and get a practical haircut? Like a shorter one that will stay out of her face? She should think more of improving than focusing on her hair."

"Like they really needed a prodigy. They're already strong enough. I wonder if she'll become overconfident because of that talent. That'll be a shame. Watch her become arrogant and that'll make her another scum ninja. Like we really need another one of those."

"When I see her out in the village with her family, she's polite yet hardly ever speaks. I think she's too serious for her age. What a strange girl."

"I've seen her get flustered at times. That better not hold her back. The Third Shinobi World War ended a few years ago. We need strong ninja for the future of the village and to build it back up. If she's actually as talented as they say she is, she better live up to it for the village's sake."

And the whispers continued. Same old rumors as before. Some were false, some were pure opinion, and some held partial truth to them. Still, I couldn't help but wonder if that's what they really thought of me, if they didn't like me based off my clan, my talent, my appearance, their little knowledge of me. Regardless, I didn't like what they were saying, and I hated being underestimated in that way. I hated that people looked down on me without getting to know me and even judging me based on those few criteria. Looks and talent weren't everything. It was shallow to judge a person based off those few factors before getting to know them and before getting all the facts straight.

My focus on the whispers and my own thoughts broke when I heard a stern voice. "I see you made it today."

My head jerking upwards, I saw a stern looking man with short black hair and onyx eyes looking at my father. I spotted a fan on his uniform, a sign I had learned to recognize as the Uchiha clan's symbol. I heard of them and seen some of them around the village, but never actually met any of them until now. Beside the man was a woman with a gentle smile similar to my mother's, black eyes, and long black hair with bangs framing her face. She had her hand on the shoulder of the boy standing next to her. He was wearing a light gray T-shirt and black pants. He had short black hair that just reached his chin and bangs covering his forehead. His serious onyx eyes were on me. A slight smile formed on his lips when he caught me returning his stare, causing me to smile shyly in return.

Something seemed different about the boy. I couldn't lay my finger on it, but I sensed something different yet similar about him, a familiar yet unexplainable connection to him. I heard the Uchiha's had a young prodigy too, and I wondered if this was him. Maybe this was why I felt an instant bond to him, simply by the fact of similar background, a similar situation. Despite those thoughts, I liked him. He didn't see me any different, not from what he was showing or letting on. For once, another kid my age didn't look at me differently when they saw me.

My father nodded and gestured to me. "Yes. This is my daughter, Mizuki, our prodigy."

Flinching at the last part of his statement, I smiled politely and shyly at Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha and the boy. Bowing, I greeted them softly, "Hello, it's very nice to meet you."

Mrs. Uchiha smiled gently at me, a real smile and what seemed like genuine kindness in her expression. I believed her when she said it was nice to meet me, too. But I grew nervous with the boy's response. His smile fading, he was eyeing me with interest, and I wasn't sure if it was in a positive or negative light. Standing up straighter, I didn't want to any bad impressions. For an odd reason, I wanted to live up to his expectations, even though we hardly knew each other. I wanted to succeed and live up to everyone's expectations, like I was learning that I should.

Mr. Uchiha made me even more nervous as he graced me with a quick look over. I wasn't sure if I impressed him or even if he cared or was interested in what he saw. With the rumors going around about me, there was much interest among villagers when they met me. I could usually tell what they thought about me by the way they spoke or behaved. It ranged everywhere from an averted gaze to a polite smile to a good word to my parents about how well I looked or how strong I was or some nice thing to say. Everyone usually had some sort of reaction, whether it was awkward, polite, or genuinely kind. But this man was different. He didn't have much of a reaction upon seeing me. Just looked me over with his critical expression. Yet he seemed similar to my father, strict and high ranking. If he was anything like my father, then I was right to have been nervous, and I knew that it will take more improvements on my part before they would be proud or impressed.

After quickly analyzing me and giving a curt nod, he looked back at my father and gestured to the boy in front of me. "And this is my son, Itachi, our prodigy."

Like I guessed, he was their prodigy. My mother smiled and greeted him, my father briefly analyzed, and I looked at him with interest. Same situation as my introduction, but this time, I felt myself flush, feeling rude for staring and also awkward for this situation. Two high ranking clans together, the heads of the families desiring to show off their prized children.

As the parents turned to polite conversation, a whistle rang out, and everyone turned to look at the teacher who caused it. She was holding a clipboard, and she smiled embarrassedly, but gestured to the building. "Hey everyone, it's time for the students to go to their classes. Let's form a line, and I'll take you all there."

Stepping towards the teacher, I instantly felt a hand on my shoulder. Turning to look up to meet the gaze of my father, I searched his stern expression to see what he wanted. "Yes Father?"

"Remember what I said, you need to do well here." It wasn't a request, but a stern reminder, one that I was used to but still caused me to be disappointed. I wished that he would care more about me than my talent, but I understood it was my duty.

I nodded. "Yes Father, I promise I will do well."

As he released my shoulder, I politely bowed to Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha before giving my parents a small wave and making my way to the teacher and the other students. Despite my father's stern warnings and advice, I felt a new happiness at being there. Not only did my clan want me to do well, I actually wanted to improve and do well, too. I wanted to be able to change and succeed at the same time, never giving up.

**Itachi's Point of View**

Stepping into line behind Mizuki, I glanced at the other students before looking at her once more. Her pure black hair fell gracefully down to her waist, and she had bangs that stopped just at her chin, framing her face. I couldn't see her clan's symbol too well because of her hair, but I knew it was on the back of her shirt as I could see the outlines of it. Her eyes were like her father's, blue and gave the impression that she could see through anything. There was power behind those eyes. But different from her father, her eyes were gentler. It was challenging to describe them. Powerful, penetrating, intelligent, and serious eyes but also gentle. Not the kind of eyes you saw every day. The kind of eyes that held a lot in them.

As we made our way inside the school, unlike the other kids curiously looking around, shifting from foot to foot, and waiting impatiently to be called off to a classroom, she kept her eyes forward. She held her hands tightly in front of her and waited patiently for her name to be called. Pulling my eyes away from her, I took in my surroundings and saw that classrooms lined the wooden floor hallways. I was there to learn and to get better. My clan wanted me to improve, as they constantly reminded me, but I also wanted to see how far I could go. I was going to protect my village and my brother. That's what I wanted.

"Mizuki Hisui?"

My attention snapped back to her, seeing a shy smile form on her face. She bowed respectfully to the teacher, thanked her, and walked into the classroom we had stopped next to. A very different reaction to the other kids who either zipped or dully walked in as soon as they were called. Watching her, I felt a strange feeling, a hope of being in the same class. Maybe it was the fact that she was a prodigy from a high-ranking class like I was. It was nice meeting someone who was like me. I did end up in the same class, much to my surprised happiness. I was there to learn, to become a ninja, but I had a feeling that she could help and that we had an unexplainable connection.

Walking into the classroom, I noticed that she sat alone. None of the other kids sat near her and I could see the stares and hear whispering floating around her. I found it strange that so many people treated her like that when she did nothing wrong. But she seemed immune, or at least attempted to ignore them, as she sat silently and read a textbook, causing me to smile slightly. "_She's already getting a head start_."

The whispers faded as I walked over to her, but the stares increased. Once I sat down next to her and started to pull out my books, the whispers started right back up. One of my favorites was, "I can't believe he would sit next to a freak like her." Another was, "Figures the prodigies would sit together." Then a cruel comment: "They can be freaks together." I paid no attention to them though. They weren't worth it. It wasn't until their silent laugher that Mizuki started to catch on that something was happening around her.

Lifting her head, Mizuki studied the other kids before turning her head and saw that I was sitting there next to her, which seemed to startle her. Her mouth opened and shut a few times like she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. Finally shutting her mouth, a blush rose to her cheeks, and she quickly looked back down at her book. And I found it amusing. But just then, the teacher called order to the class and began taking the attendance and then moving on to an exercise for us to get to know each other better. We were to describe our dreams for the future. It was a good exercise, and everyone seemed to like it, but several of the other kids had similar dreams of wanting to be Hokage, desiring to be like a well-known ninja like Tsunade or Jiraiya, or wanting to be the best ninja they could be.

When it came to Mizuki's turn, I glanced around to see other kids sneering, glaring, or looking at her critically. A slight blush was on her cheeks, and she was smiling shyly, but she held her head high as she spoke and her voice was clear, which I admired. "My dream is to live up to my full capability and be the best ninja that I can be. No matter what, I won't give up." I could tell she was determined about her dream, which was something I even more admired because I was the same with mine. We were both determined. Her dream was similar to my own dream of reaching my capability and becoming a powerful ninja.

I softened my smile when I realized she was glancing at me, but it only seemed to make her blush grow as she quickly looked down at her open notebook. After everyone had their turn, the teacher began her lesson. I picked my pencil just like Mizuki did and took notes. She was focused, and so was I. Her pencil glided over her page with ease, as if she knew the lesson already. I found the material easy as well.

Hours passed before break time came around. Quickly standing up and clutching her textbook, Mizuki bit her bottom lip but looked mostly composed as she made her way to the door and walked out. Before confusion could rise, I saw the looks the other kids had and realized what was wrong. They watched her leave, and she knew it. I noticed she seemed slightly flustered earlier when the parents were still there and rumors were being spread, but I admired that she usually stayed composed in the face of something like that, a trick I'm sure she learned from training.

"She is so _strange_," one girl said with emphasis on the word 'strange.' "Did you see her eyes? Creepy much? Her hair makes them stand out more. Not like they were already weird." I narrowed my eyes on her and the kids around her, trying to figure out the cause for them saying such things.

Other kids murmured their agreement. One was bold to say, "She's the Hisui's so called prodigy. Let's just see about that." The kids around him sneered and agreed.

"I've never heard her say much, and when she does say or do anything, she's polite. Probably thinks she's better than us because her clan."

"She needs a real lesson, not one from books. Someone should give it her."

And the conversations continued along those lines as they walked past me and out the door. I instantly felt bad for Mizuki, regretting that she must have to put up with such treatment on a regular basis. Though I was sure there were kids who saw me differently and actually heard some comments about me mixed into their conversations, I heard more about her, and I was sure she was aware of it since everyone was so outright. They probably got on her more because she didn't say or do anything to stop it and even seemed a little flustered about it at times. From what I could tell, she was just shy, but she might be considered a pushover in their eyes, since she didn't act out against them. However, if she was a prodigy like me, I had a feeling that she was different, that she was being underestimated.

Letting out a sigh, I stood and make my way outside, wanting to train and improve. Once there, I saw others kids running, playing, and enjoying themselves, and only Mizuki was left out. She sat next to a tall tree in the corner of the area, her book in her lap and her eyes gazing down at the pages. I softened my features once again. She was still studying, even during break, something I would do and something that I was planning on doing. The targets and throwing stars were next to the tree. Walking over, I noticed Mizuki look up and tilt her head to the side, her eyes on me. A touch of confusion was in her expression when she realized I was heading in her direction.

Stopping front of a target, I looked at her and motioned to it. "Mind if I practice?"

"No, go ahead." Her voice was soft. Her eyes went right back down to her text as she turned to the next page. "So you're a prodigy, too." It was more of a statement than a question, and I could hear an undercurrent of regret in her tone.

Picking up some throwing stars, I looked at her from the corner of my eye. "Looks like we have something in common then." She nodded, and silence settled, except for the thuds of my stars as they hit the wooden targets. She didn't seem happy, and I understood because I wasn't either, not with the way things were with my clan. But I had a weird feeling of wanting to help her, of wanting to connect to her more, especially since it seemed like we were in the same position. "You really shouldn't listen to what other people say about you."

Her head jerked up, her eyes slightly widening with shock before she quickly composed herself, a slight flush still making its way to her face regardless. "You've heard the rumors?" As I nodded, she lowered her gaze, not to her book but to the ground. "I know I shouldn't pay them much mind, but there's always a stare, always a comment to be made, always someone to criticize. You probably already know that feeling quite well though."

"Yes, I do, but I don't let it get to me." Her eyes remained on the ground, remorse filling them, a frown tucking at her lips, and my expression softened again. Setting my throwing stars down where I found them, I walked over and sat next to her. "What are you reading? Our class textbook?"

Startled, she lifted her face to look at me, shock clearly written on her face, most likely by the fact that I was sitting and talking with her. "No, I brought a book from home. I know our class textbook already." It was my turn to be shocked, and she must have seen it because her smile returned. "One of those rumors is true. My clan started training me early, both mentally and physically. It gets harsh at times, but the training has become more personal to me. I love to learn and improve."

My smile returning, I nodded. "Same here."

**Mizuki's Point of View**

A while later, the bell rang, calling us students back inside. I closed my book and looked at Itachi. We were on to the subject of training, of improving, and our clans, and I could tell he was feeling the same way I was about those things. It was a lot of pressure and disappointment, but we both wanted to improve for our dreams. Standing up, he held his hand out to me, and I took his outstretched hand. After he helped me up, we walked inside, fully aware of the stares and whispers but choosing to pay them no attention.

The rest of the day went the same as the morning with Itachi and me sitting together and effortlessly taking notes. I had already learned this material but took notes anyway. As soon as the teacher dismissed us, I found myself caught off guard again. As I packed my books away, I felt a hand on my arm, and I looked up to met Itachi's gaze.

"Can I walk you home?"

Smiling shyly, I nodded. "I would love it, if you don't mind."

He didn't mind. On the way to my clan's compound area, we were once again pulled into a conversation about our clans. I also managed to find out that he had a younger brother the same age as mine, the both of them around five years younger than us. I was surprised to find that I wasn't getting flustered as I usually did with other people, but it was nice talking to someone I had so much in common with. Once we reached the gates of my clan's compound area, I was surprised because time had flown by. We said our good-byes, promising to see each other the following day at school, before he turned to walk home.

Walking through my clan's area, I was stopped numerous times by relatives asking me about school, some seeming pleased to hear that it went well and some only giving curt nods. The most pleased of all to see me was Daitan, who was waiting for me at the front door of our house. The sight of his smile growing upon seeing me was very touching. When I came close, he came running and threw himself at me when he was close enough.

I hugged him back immediately. "Hey Brother."

As he looked up at me, I could see his toothy grin and could tell that he was excited as he took my hand and headed for the door. "I want you to teach me all about what you learned today, and then we can play together." My smile softened. I knew him too well. He wanted to improve to catch our father's attention and wanted to spend time with me, and I was touched.

I had to tell both him and our mother all about my first day. Although my mother wanted me to do my homework first as the teacher felt a need to give it on the first day, I decided to play with Daitan first because that was what we both wanted. We played with fake kunai in the back yard, everything from play fighting with them to throwing them at targets and trees. I was used to real ones, but Daitan was too young for them. Eventually, my father came home from a mission and ordered that I trained with him before dinner. My brother bowed his head down in disappointment when our father didn't even grace him with a greeting and also because I had to leave him. Regret filled me again. I hated seeing him like that, wishing our father treated him better.

Placing my hand on Daitan's chin, I lifted his head up and kissed his forehead. "I'm sorry. We'll hang out more later, I promise."

Nodding, he smiled slightly as I ruffled his hair, and then I followed our father to the training area of the house. Seeing all the death and blood during the war was horrible, and I didn't want that to happen again. I didn't want people to hurt like that again. I didn't want to fight after what I witnessed, and I didn't want to cause anymore pain with fighting. But despite my desire in avoiding a fight and despite the training being harsh, I was able to suppress my wishes, found a reason for fighting, and did as my father asked me to. I wanted to improve, to fulfill expectations, and to prove to everyone that I could do it. I wanted to see how well I could do, to reach my capability, to protect others. And I wanted to change and see if I was worth something. Not just as my clan's prodigy but to find my own worth, to find my own way.

My training session with my father stopped when my mother was almost finished cooking dinner. He didn't say anything as he made his way inside with me. No good jobs. No proud words. No smiles. Nothing. Just an empty feeling in my chest where my heart was. I didn't receive the acknowledgement or the care from my father that I wanted. He didn't even ask about school or how I was. He had just wanted me to improve without any encouragement getting in the way.

I cleaned and bandaged my cuts before joining the rest of my family. Luckily, during dinner, my mother asked about my first day. I appreciated that, knowing my father wasn't going to ask first, but I noticed he seemed to pause to listen to my answers. By the end of the meal and the discussion, a faint smile appeared on his lips before he excused himself from the table. My father didn't smile much, and I was grateful he was pleased with my first day, even though he didn't express it well.

The rest of the night went uneventful. Homework, finished my book, read a different book with Daitan, then bed. Days began to flow by, all of them following a pattern. Rumors still went around, but I never paid them much attention because they didn't deserve it. Lessons in class were easy because I already knew the material. I always got A's. So did Itachi. During breaks, we studied, trained, or talked. Even silences became comfortable between us. Sometimes during class exercises, practicing jutsu, and sparing matches, we partnered up, and I could see his talent. The teacher often sent notes home with us along with tests or report cards to tell our parents that we were progressing quickly. She believed we would graduate very soon, and my whole clan was pleased to hear that.

After school, to my happiness, Itachi would often walk me home, but sometimes I was able to walk with him to his family's compound area. I always loved hanging out with him. Daitan would usually be waiting for me when I got home, asking me about school and for me to play with him, which I happily did. When our father was away on a mission, I played with him until dinner. If he came home from a mission, then I had to stop and train until dinner, or if it was his day off or was already home from a mission, there was no playing at all and just training the whole time. Daitan would usually want to join, and when our father said no, he usually didn't cheer up until I promised to play or teach him jutsu later. I hated to see him sad because he meant the world to me. Homework and reading were after dinner. Weekends were also for training with different members of my clan, mostly with my father. In between playing and training sessions, I still managed to take walks and reading to ease my mind, and spending time with Daitan. But sometimes we had a nice treat. Sometimes Itachi and his family came for dinner or we went over to their home. Itachi's brother Sasuke and my brother Daitan automatically became friends, much to our joy. It was nice to all be together, except for the sternness of both the fathers. Even at my age, I often wondered why our kind mothers married such men.

I didn't even notice as the days started become weeks and then into months. Before we knew it, Itachi and I graduated only after going to the Academy for a year. Our ninja journeys began. Our futures awaited. We were ready. Or so we believed.


	3. Chapter Two

**Mizuki's Point of View**

The sun was out, its rays shining down on us. A gentle breeze rustled past, slightly tousling my hair, and I brushed my bangs back to the sides, feeling them fall back into place. I could feel strands of my hair brushing against the backs of my knees, and I loved the feeling of the weight of my hair on my back. A familiar yet never old feeling. Just like seeing the scenery. No matter how much I walked through the village, the sights never got old. Those walks were usually peaceful and sometimes could take my mind off other things. I loved taking them. Especially when Daitan came with me.

I looked down at his smiling face, his blue eyes standing out against his bright features, the same blue eyes that I had. The breeze was brushing through his shaggy black hair, which normally fell inches past his ears. His gaze had been on the shops and people passing by before he turned it up to me. "You think we can train today?" he asked.

"Sure, I don't see why not." It was my day off, and I didn't have anything planned other than giving Itachi some advice on his special mission tomorrow to join the ANBU's. Besides, I loved spending time with him and seeing him improve.

His eyes instantly lit up as I changed direction, and he followed. From time to time, from fellow villagers or comrades, we would receive a smile, a greeting, a request to send their regards to our parents, awkward or curious glances, or even critical stares, those analytical gazes mostly aimed at me. A few whispered words here and there, probably about how strange I was or about our family, but I ignored it, mostly for Daitan's sake and for the fact it wasn't anything new or anything worth listening to. But his smile dampened each time he noticed the looks or the whispers aimed towards me.

And I ruffled his hair each time. "Let them talk, Daitan. They don't know any better." His smile would awkwardly appear on his face again, and I was touched with how he worried about me, but I knew full well that I might hear about his concern again later when we were home.

As we approached the general area of where the training grounds were, we could hear our names being shouted out by a familiar voice. "Hey Mizuki! Hey Daitan!"

Daitan and I turned and saw two boys walking over, coming from one of the training areas. The younger boy was on the older boy's back and was peering over his shoulder, his grin apparent. The older boy had long black hair pulled back into a low ponytail which was tied at the nape of his neck. A soft smile was on his features. The younger boy had shorter black hair, but with a blue tint. Both boys had dark gray eyes and long bangs framing their faces. Fans were spotted on the backs of their shirts. We recognized them in a heartbeat.

**Itachi's Point of View**

Mizuki was wearing a casual outfit of gray pants and a black shirt. I knew her clan symbol was on the back of her shirt, but I couldn't see it clearly. Her black hair fell gracefully down her back and all the way down to her knees while her bangs went inches past her shoulders, framing her face. She usually carried herself with a gentle grace, and sometimes with seriousness, depending on her mood or situation. Her blue eyes bore into mine, striking, powerful, and serious yet gentle. I saw them light up as we approached, which brightened her features. A gentle smile formed on her lips.

Next to her was Daitan, and he grinned up at Sasuke and me. "Hey guys." It wasn't surprising to find him with her. He was usually at her side when she was home from missions. He was so much like her. Not only in their style of clothes but also in their appearance and other aspects of their lives. He was a good kid, just like Sasuke.

"Sasuke, what happened? Are you hurt?" Mizuki's voice was soft, almost like a musical sound, with an added worried tone to it.

I glanced back at Sasuke. "Someone got overexcited during training and sprained his ankle. We're heading home to fix it up."

His expression faltered, but he answered, his voice strong. "Getting hurt is part of being a ninja though. Everyone gets hurt sometimes, but it only makes us stronger, right?"

I smiled at him, feeling proud. He got hurt trying to train with me, and now he was still determined to be strong. Before I could answer him though, an arm slid past my face and petted Sasuke's head.

"That's true, but try to be careful next time," Mizuki gently scolded him. He nodded at her with real serenity. When I thought she would have pulled her arm back, her hand made swift hand signs and began to glow a greenish color. She placed it on Sasuke's foot and kept it there for a minute before pulling it away. "I can't heal it completely, but your ankle should be better. Make sure you put ice on it when you get home, okay?"

I turned my smile to her, grateful. "I'll make sure he does. Thank you."

Sasuke wiggled his foot around, a shocked grin on his lips. "It does feel better. I didn't know you could do that."

A small blush blossomed on her cheeks. "I'm not all that great, but I'm learning some medical abilities."

She was right. A few weeks back, she decided to learn medical ninjustu just in case anyone needed help, especially the boys. She wasn't planning to become a full medical ninja, but she did plan to have as many abilities as she could to help out. Besides, she read a lot, and I was sure she found medical books just as interesting as any other book she read.

Daitan shook his head. "Don't listen to her. She's great."

Nodding, I agreed with him. She was learning fast like usual, and it didn't surprise me. I often sat with her when she was reading and then quizzed her on the things she read, with her always answering correctly.

"Thank you." Shifting from foot to foot, she flushed embarrassedly. "So are you excited for school tomorrow, Sasuke? I know Daitan is."

Both boys automatically perked up, not bothered at all by the change in subject. "I am. I hope Father will come to the Entrance Ceremony," Sasuke said, his expression faltering again with the last part of the sentence but seemed excited otherwise. Daitan did the same, and I knew how the fathers were.

Mizuki looked pained, some wrinkles forming on her forehead for a few moments, but then she forced a smile. She cleared her throat, and her voice was soft yet steady. "It is an exciting time, and I know you both will do well."

Both of the boys nodded, seeming to appreciate the gentle confidence in her answer. Her gaze then turned to me, and emotions like anxiousness and concern flashed in her eyes. I knew it was for my mission tomorrow to get into the ANBU, the same day as the boys' first day of school. My father wanted to speak to me about it today, and I needed to prepare for him and for my mission. She was probably worried about my father getting upset with me for being late, and I was touched, but I wasn't worried. He shouldn't be too mad, and I was more concerned about him attending the Entrance Ceremony for Sasuke.

"We better go. I'll see you later," I told her.

She nodded, a knowing look in her eyes. After we all said our good-byes, she turned with Daitan and headed for the general direction of the training grounds. I watched them, seeing how Daitan grinned up at her and how she ruffled his hair. After I glanced back at Sasuke to see him looking at his foot and wiggling it around some more, I turned and began walking again.

**Daitan's Point of View**

Just as Mizuki jumped back away from me, I dropped my kunai and breathed heavily. Her gaze on me softened when she looked over. "We should stop now. We can pick it up another time, okay?" She bit her lower lip lightly and slid her kunai in the kunai holster strapped to her upper right leg. "I shouldn't have pushed you this hard," she murmured.

Shaking my head, I picked up my kunai and stumbled when I tried to get back into a fighting stance. "No, I-I'm not done yet." I was about to run at her again, but before I could, she walked over and kneeled down to my level, gently yanking the kunai out of my hand and also sliding into her holster. I looked away from her, not wanting her to see me trying to catch my breath. "I don't want to g-give up."

Some moments of silence passed before she stood up and led me over to a log nearby and sat us both down. I looked down at my feet as I scuffed them in the dirt beneath them as she sat silently. "You know you don't have to push yourself so hard," she said, her voice low and soft. I glanced at her. She was looking down at her hands, which were curled up tightly in her lap, and she started to bite her lower lip again, only stopping when she spoke. "Are you doing this for Father?"

I nodded. "I need to get stronger. For Father, for our clan and village, and for you." She returned my glance, wrinkles forming on her forehead and her lips tucking down in a frown. "They all focus on you, but I want to be strong just like you. To be able to prove that I'm also worth something. And I want to show everyone, especially you and Father. You taught me to never give up and to work hard, and I won't. I'll reach my dream of being a great ninja like you both." It was all true. Even though she couldn't help it, she was our clan's prodigy and everyone focused on her. She trained, read and learned, went on missions, and spent time with others, and worked so hard to maintain everything in her life. I could see that even at my age. I wanted to never give up and be like her.

She took a deep breath and looked down at her hands, beginning to chew on her lower lip. Catching my breath, I looked around at the scenery, the trees, the little animals running around, the targets, and the training trees. "I believe you," I heard her murmur after we sat there for a number of minutes. I looked up at her once more, tilting my head to hear her better, and she looked at me. "I believe you'll get better. I know you will, and I know you'll reach your dream. Just do it reasonably, okay? And I'll also help you as long as you would like me around." Her expression softened, and she smiled gently. I smiled back, glad for what she's offering and was touched to see how much she cared. We sat there for a while longer, enjoying the scenery until Mizuki eyed some of my cuts caused by training, stood up, and knelt down in front of me, her back towards me. "We better get home to fix those cuts up and before they wonder where we are."

Nodding, I hopped onto her back and carefully wrapped my arms around her neck. As she stood up, she held onto my legs and supported me, like she always has.

**Mizuki's Point of View**

As I was walking home, I felt Daitan fidgeting. "Is there something wrong?" He stopped his restless shifting, but didn't say anything. "I can tell that there is."

His voice sounded anxious. "I don't think Father is coming to the ceremony tomorrow." When I glanced back at him, he looked sad, not meeting my gaze. "And I know that you can't come because of your mission."

I softened my expression. "You know that I really want to go and that I would if I could." He nodded, but still didn't meet my gaze. "Don't worry about Father. I'll make sure that he goes to watch you."

Our father didn't focus as much on Daitan as much as he should have because he focused more on me. He wanted me to be the best I could be for the clan, but I wanted to change that. I wanted our clan to change how they were, especially our father. Daitan's small smile let me know that he was staying hopeful that his big sister will come through, and I hoped that I could succeed for his sake. Upon reaching home, I set Daitan down, and he opened the door. He walked inside with me following, and I shut the door behind us. I could automatically sense my father's presence. As I turned my head, I saw him leaning against a nearby wall, his cold blue eyes on me and his facial expression cold as always. He motioned for me to follow him before turning to walk further into the house. Daitan looked away, frowning. Our father didn't even look at him.

I gently nudged him towards a hallway. "Go find Mother so she can fix up your cuts. I'll talk to him for you and then come to see you afterwards." I forced a smile for his sake, and he nodded before walking off obediently.

After walking through the house and entering a private study, my father kneeled on his knees and legs. I did the same, sitting some feet across from him and folding my hands in my lap. After moments of silence and searching each other's expressions, he spoke, a sharp edge to his voice. "Where have you been? You should have been here, preparing for your mission tomorrow. I've heard that it's an important one. You can't slack off, Mizuki. Your position is an important one, a role that you should know well by now." He was frowning and shaking his head disapprovingly.

Narrowing my eyes at him, I met his critical gaze. "I know it, and I am ready for tomorrow. And I was training with Daitan." He narrowed his eyes at me in return, probably not appreciating my response, but he nodded and said nothing. I took a deep breath. "He really is improving, and I'm sure he'll learn more in the Academy when he starts tomorrow. The Entrance Ceremony is in the morning." No answer. He searched my expression, seeming to look for meaning in what I was saying. "Daitan really wants you to go tomorrow, and so do I. Mother is going, and I would go if I didn't have my mission. It would mean a lot to us all if you go, too." It was my turn to search his expression, waiting for him to answer.

Furrowing his eyebrows together, he looked indifferent, and he shook his head. "I have a mission tomorrow, too."

I gripped my legs and took another deep breath. I hissed out through clenched teeth, "How dare you pick a mission over your own son? He looks up to you, you know that, right?" He didn't answer this, but I really didn't expect or want one. I looked away, not able to speak right away, and gathered my thoughts. A tense silence filled the room for a few minutes until I took another deep breath, looked back at him, and smiled. "If you don't go, then I won't go on my mission, and I'll go to the ceremony instead. Daitan is worth more to me than my mission."

Wrinkles formed in a bunch on his forehead, just above his eyebrows, and I knew that he didn't approve of what I just said. Our gazes locked, and neither of us looked away. No words were spoken, but we were both understood. Hearing the strong tone in my voice and seeing that I wasn't backing down, my father let out a sigh. "I'll go. Just go on your mission and make sure that you do well."

Bowing slightly, I thanked him, stood up, and left the room, leaving him to his thoughts. He did look like he was deep in thought, and I hoped that what I said got through to him. I found Daitan and our mother in the kitchen. Daitan was sitting at the table with bandages on his cuts and talking to our mother, who was fixing dinner. She was asking him about our training session today, and he seemed to be happy to tell her what we did and what I taught him. She listened to all of his answers and smiled as she told him how proud she was of him. I softened my expression as I watched and listened. It was a number of minutes before Daitan noticed that I was standing in the doorway, and he waved for me to come in.

Both of them greeted me warmly, but afterwards, Daitan looked at me and shifted a little uneasily in his spot. "So, what happened?" he asked.

I could feel my mother's gaze on me, too, as I answered, and when I said that our father was going to attend the ceremony, I saw that her eyebrows go up in surprise. Even Daitan looked shocked. However, both of them looked very pleased shortly, and I felt the same.

"I wasn't sure if he was going to go, but I'm glad that he is. This is great," he said, relief and happiness in his voice.

We continued to talk about tomorrow, even as dinner was ready and our father joined us. It was tense with him around at first, but after a while, it seemed to ease. He actually started to make an effort to listen to Daitan when he answered a question that either our mother or I asked him, especially when it was about the Academy. Although he didn't say much or join in the conversation, he did pause to listen to him, which Daitan noticed and brightened his features. I was touched to see this and often traded glances with my mother when we both noticed. Other than the slight tension in the room, partly caused by my father and partly caused by our hope that he would remain as attentive as he was, it was a nice meal.

After dinner, I helped my mother clean the dishes, Daitan went to get ready for tomorrow, and my father went to his study. When I was done, I walked to my room, closed the door behind me, opened the window, hopped onto the window still, and jumped up onto the roof. Once I sat down, I pulled my legs close and looked up at the night sky, admiring the stars and especially the moon.

**Itachi's Point of View**

Jumping from roof to roof, I make my way to Mizuki's house, and I found her just where I expected to her be. The moon's light shined down on her figure. She was sitting on the roof just above her room, holding onto her legs, and looking up at the stars and the moon. Slowing down to a stop on her roof, I sat down next to her. "Admiring your namesake?"

Her name, Mizuki, meant 'beautiful moon,' and although she didn't think it fit her, I thought it did. Not only did she admire the moon, she was also beautiful in many ways, even though she often claimed she wasn't. Neither one of us believed in appearances, but she often proved that beauty went beyond appearances. It could be in a person's personality, behavior, and abilities. She was one of the few girls with all of those aspects, but she wouldn't hear of it. However, her name did suit her. She once told me that her mother named her because her father wasn't happy about having a daughter (he was expecting a son as his eldest child) and refused to have anything to do with her at first. Her mother picked the name Mizuki because Mizuki was a beautiful daughter and her mother thought of the moon as intelligent and powerful just like their clan. Which seemed to fit her and their clan.

She nodded and glanced at me. "Even though I'm not beautiful like the moon." I shook my head. She shifted in her spot uncomfortably and sighed, but didn't argue and changed the subject. "How did it go with your father?" Concern filled her expression.

Letting out a sigh, I leaned back some and put my hands on the roof behind me to support myself. "He wanted to accompany me on my mission tomorrow, but I told him to go to the ceremony to see Sasuke or else I would skip my mission and go with Sasuke instead. Because of that, he agreed to go with Sasuke."

Tilting her head to the side, she seemed to consider this before meeting my gaze again. "I had to do the same thing with my father for him to go with Daitan tomorrow. Why do our fathers act like that?"

"They're the heads of our clans. They want our families to be strong and to improve the village," I said, though we both knew this very well. I understood this, but at the same time, it didn't excuse their actions. They didn't have to behave the way they did or treat others, especially our families, the way they did. They could find more reasonable and peaceful ways of going about it.

She sighed softly. "I know that, but they can find better ways of doing it. We're all family. They're our fathers. They should care." I nodded, agreeing with her. She turned her gaze back up the moon and started to bite her lower lip, a habit she had when she was stressed, concerned, or thinking, a nervous habit she didn't always realize that she was doing. As it wasn't healthy for her mouth, I nudged her, and she stopped. After a few minutes of silence and of looking up at the sky, she finally murmured, "I know we're supposed to be our clan's geniuses and that our clans and the village depend on us to stay strong. But at the same time, I'm not my father's only child, and you're not your father's only child either."

"I know. It's something that we're going to have to fix." She nodded, agreeing with me. "Until then, it'll be nice to have some advice for my mission," I reminded her.

"Oh, yeah." Sitting up straighter and letting go of her legs, she turned her body so that she was facing me. "Alright, let's get started." I turned to face her, and she went over the mission to help me prepare. She really knew her facts, which didn't surprise me. She joined the ANBU a few months before she turned twelve and quickly rose through the ranks to be a captain. I know that at first, she had to prove herself to her comrades because they were unsure of her, mostly due to her age. However, it didn't take long for them to see her talent, and they came to respect her. As we were finishing up, she smiled. "That pretty much covers it. I think you'll do well. You're already talented."

I smiled back. "Thank you for everything." She waved it off, muttering that she didn't do much, but I shook my head. "No, you really do help, as always." A small embarrassed flush appeared on her cheeks, and she looked away to hide it. I chucked at her. "So, are you going to accompany us on the mission tomorrow?"

Looking back at me, she shook her head. "I wanted to, and the Hokage was considering it, but he ended up deciding against it. He thought that I might be biased when taking you on the mission."

My eyebrows rose, and I smirked. "Oh, would you now?" She blushed and shook her head again. "Is that so? Not for your best friend?"

Her blush slowly begging to fade, she took a breath and smiled. "I care about you, but I have to be fair when it comes to these types of things." When I agreed, she let out a sigh of relief.

We sat there in silence for a while longer, enjoying each other's company, admiring the scenery, and watching as the night fell. We watched the fireflies float around us and pointed out constellations in the night sky. Eventually, I stood up and stretched some. "I better get home. I'll see you tomorrow."

She stood up too, brushing herself off. "Sounds good. Let me know how you do." As I promised to do so and we were saying good-bye, she hugged me. "Good luck tomorrow."

I thanked her, turned, and left, grateful for what she has done for me. Tomorrow was going to be an eventful day.


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

**Mizuki's Point of View**

The sun shined down on us as my parents, Daitan, and I stepped outside our house. Daitan stopped, turned, and looked up at me, sadness and disappointment in his expression. "I wish you could come to the ceremony." He looked away. "It won't be the same without you."

My expression softening, I kneeled down to his level. "I wish I could come, too, and you know I would if I could. I will see you later though, and you can tell me about your first day. I can't wait to hear all about it." He nodded, but kept looking away. I slid my hand under his chin and turned his face towards me. He searched my expression and blinked as I leaned in closer. I kissed his forehead gently and pulled him into a hug, which he quickly returned. I whispered into ear, "No matter where we are, even if you can't see me, I'm always there for you. We always have this bond. I know you'll do well and learn a lot, and I can't wait to see the great things that you'll do." When I pulled away, I stood up and ruffled his hair in the process. "I'll see you later after school. I promise."

Daitan smiled up at me and nodded. "See you later."

Our father had his arm crossed, looking ready to leave. His gaze flickered to me. "Make sure you do well today."

I nodded, narrowing my eyes at him slightly. My mother smiled sympathetically at us with hurt in her eyes, and she placed a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "Please be careful, dear. We'll see you tonight."

I smiled slightly at her, nodding, glad that she at least understood. After all the good luck wishes and good-byes, I watched my family walk through our clan's compound area and how a few of my relatives wished them luck along the way. Once they were out of sight, I walked back inside and headed for my room.

I had my uniform laid out on my bed. After slipping out of my casual clothing and folding them onto my dresser, I pulled on my black and grey armor, long black gloves, metal arm guards, and black ninja scandals. I strapped my kunai holster to my upper right leg, adjusted my ninja pouch on the back of my black belt, and strapped my katana to my back. Walking over to my dresser, I looked into the mirror sitting on top of it. A spiral tattoo was etched on my upper right shoulder, a distinction from the men who had the tattoo on their left shoulders. Picking up a brush and a ponytail holder, I brushed and pulled my hair back into a ponytail. Once I was done, I tied on my Leaf headband so that I was wearing it on my forehead like most ninja.

I took a few deep breaths and started to suppress my emotions. Glancing back at my mirror, I could see my face becoming blank, emotions draining from my features. I tilted my head, watching my expression, and my hands curled at my sides. My father's voice rang in my mind. "Ninja aren't supposed to show emotions. It could hurt them in missions and add unnecessary burdens and risks to not only them but also others involved. Emotions can only hold ninja back from reaching what they are truly capable of achieving," I mumbled his words aloud. Placing my mask over my face, I took another deep breath. I got that lesson in the Academy, too. Ninjas were supposed to be strong, intelligent, and calm. No emotions should get in the way because it could add risk in a mission, could make it end in failure, could make you lose your concentration, and could possibly lose yourself or a comrade. But losing emotion was easier said than done. Emotions made us human, made us unique, made us ourselves.

With a few hand signs for a transportation jutsu, I disappeared in a cloud of smoke and re-appeared in the wooded area outside the village. Swiftly moving through the trees, I recalled the mission the Third Hokage gave me. I remembered his serious expression as he said, "It's crucial that you succeed fulfilling this mission." His eye brows knitted together in concern, in seriousness, for the mission he was about to give me.

A few valuable scrolls had been stolen from our village earlier this week, and he had sent a small team of jonin to locate them and bring them back. They came back the day before yesterday without the scrolls and were injured. They found the location just outside the Leaf border in enemy territory, and it was heavily guarded by skilled ninja. The team had been separated and were defeated, but managed to escape and come back. Once hearing this information, the Hokage came up with a counter strategy. His plan was for a highly skilled ANBU go alone, no back-up, no help, because a greater number of ninja had more risk of being sighted, caught, and separated, which was what happened with the others. The ninja he decided on for this mission was me. I received a message from him yesterday morning before my walk with Daitan. I went to see him briefly and was told to prepare for the mission today. It was crucial for those scrolls to be brought back without any intel about our village leaking. And maybe learning some information about them in the process.

And I planned on succeeding.

I kept my guard up the whole time I moved and avoided going near any other people, but as expected, I wasn't seen or heard. As I moved rather swiftly, I covered a lot of ground. Eventually, I found the location, and just as the others said, it was heavily guarded. Hiding safety just outside of sight, I studied the building and moved carefully around the premier to get a better look.

I found a place where it was less guarded. Picking up a stone, I tossed it close to where the guards were. As expected, they all stopped and turned towards it, their weapons ready. And I had a clear view of all of their eyes. After quick hand signs, I placed them all in a genjutsu except the one that appeared to be the leader among them. While the others were swinging their weapons in what they believed to be a fight with their enemies, I quickly ran towards the singled-out man and pushed him back to the building behind him, pinning him firmly.

He grunted and spit out a bit of blood. "Wh-Who are you?"

"Doesn't matter," I muttered shortly. "Tell me where the stolen Leaf scrolls are."

His eyes narrowed on my mask. "Ah, Leaf ninja scum," he spit out, his voice disgusted. "You all think you're all that, but you're not."

I tightened my grip on him. "Now. If you care about your life." He didn't answer, and a small smirk formed on his face. "Fine."

I looked into his expression. He couldn't see my face, but that didn't matter. I could see him, and that did. I placed him in a genjutsu, one worst than his comrades, one to torture him. It took some minutes, but he cracked, telling me more than I expected. Not out loud, but in the jutsu I created because I didn't want it heard by anyone else. I picked the right person to get information from. He told me where the scrolls were, but he was spilling out information about their group here and about his land. He was a higher ranking ninja and knew a lot. He figured he was enough to guard this area with little help, and he never expected to be taken down. But he also revealed their doubts, their desperation, their desire to become a better land. That actually didn't surprise me too much because his people were known to gain as much knowledge and power as they could. When I got what I needed and more, I loosed my grip on him, and he fell down to the ground limply. I knew he would most likely not remember what happened. One of the positive effects of the jutsu.

By this point, his comrades had attacked each other accidently and were laying about, blood dripping from their wounds. As I ran past them, I could see into some of their eyes. While some eyes were shut, others were numb or gazed over with the jutsu I placed them in. But I kept on moving and entered the building. I was careful though, peaking around corners before going around them and trying to avoid being seen. However, the inside was just as guarded as the outside. I snuck past many of them. I placed genjutsu on others, tricking them into thinking there was trouble in another part of the building, and they took off running in that direction. And with some of them, who didn't fall for genjutsu as easily, I threw smoke bombs before they saw me and took them out with a quick fury of punches and kicks in the dark shroud.

It didn't take me long to find the scrolls. They were in a room located in the center of the building, but wires were surrounding them, which were tied to traps set up around the room. Should I cut just one single wire or step into it, then all the traps would be triggered and I would have several kunai flying at me from all angles. I also saw small machines, which I was sure triggered smoke or poison to pour out along with the kunai. I looked around at the traps and wires. Seeing an opportunity at getting the scrolls without getting hit by kunai, being smothered by the smoke or poison gas, or being caught by the enemy, I stepped into the room. I twisted and squeezed my body through some wires and did small flips over others.

Just as I reached the table, picked up the scrolls, and checked them, a few guards were passing by and looked into the room. Quickly putting the scrolls into my ninja pouch, I pulled out a smoke bomb and threw it on the ground. Smoke began to fill the room as the guards called for back-up and stepped forward in an attempt to trigger the traps. Bad move. Hearing their voices and footsteps, I pulled out some kunai and threw them in their direction because I didn't want any ninjas following or attacking me. I heard grunts followed by their bodies hitting the ground with thuds. "_Got them_," I thought as I weaved hand signs. With a transportation jutsu, I disappeared and appeared back in the Third Hokage's office.

Seeing me in front of his desk, the older man looked at his clock. "Back already, huh?" But he smiled. "But I trust that you were successful."

"I was, sir," I replied, reaching into my pouch, pulling the scrolls out, and handing them to him. I also reported information that I discovered while I was there, including what I gathered from the man and what I discovered in the building. I finished off by promising to get the paperwork done soon.

"Thank you, dear," he answered, nodding through it all and still smiling by the end of it. "I can always depend on you. I'll be sending a mission later." I nodded, and he looked out the window before looking back at me. "Go enjoy your night off. I'm sure Daitan and Itachi will both want to see you soon."

I smiled lightly under my mask, remembering that it was a big day. After bowing respectfully, I gently said, "Thank you sir. I'll be seeing you soon."

His expression softened. "Until then. Come back for anything." And as I promised and left, he went back to his paperwork.

I appeared in my room and checked to make sure the door was shut. As I slipped out of my uniform, I noticed there was no blood on it. Then on came my casual outfit. As I walked over to my dresser, I felt my body slowly relaxing, becoming less tense, and ease filled my movements. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and saw that emotions were beginning to settle in my expression again and could feel them spread through my veins to the rest of my body. I felt like myself again, and it felt nice.

As I reached back and pulled the ponytail holder out of my hair, I heard a small knock at the door. "Come in," I answered, picking up my brush and beginning to slide it through my hair. I heard the door open, and in the reflection of the mirror, I saw Daitan walking in and shutting the door behind him. "I was just thinking about you, Brother."

He smiled as he walked over to my bed and sat down, watching me. "How was your mission?"

I finished brushing my hair and went over to sit next to him. "It went well. Thank you. But the real question is how was your first day of school."

His expression lit up with that, and he told me all about it. I could tell that he was happy about our father going to the ceremony in the morning, but at the same time, it was as I expected. He acted as if he didn't care. He had his arms crossed for most of it, appeared to have listened somewhat, and didn't say much. And of course, his usually cold expression and attitude stayed close. There was a ghost of a smile before he left, but otherwise, my father was just being himself. Our mother was happy, smiling the whole time, and telling my brother and other parents that she was proud and knew how well he and the other kids were going to do. Sasuke's parents were similar in their actions.

Daitan then proceeded to tell me about his class. Him and Sasuke were in the same class and sat next to each other. The teacher, Iruka, was nice, and many of his classmates seemed typical, ranging everywhere from lazy to peppy to quiet to kind to intelligent to rowdy to everywhere in between. He told me how one boy, Naruto, kept interrupting class, but Iruka seemed funny around him, and I knew why. I knew about the nine tails in the boy. And how Iruka lost his parents during the incident. But the kids didn't know any of it. Besides this though and besides the fact that girls seemed to be interested in both Sasuke and Daitan already, it sounded like they both had a good first day.

I smiled through it all, nodding and adding in my comments along the way. I knew he was going to do wonderful, and I was already proud. But as he finished, a low growl came from my stomach, and I quickly curled my hands around it, flushing. "Sorry. I haven't eaten all day."

He rubbed the back of his head. "I should be sorry. I kept you from the dinner that Mother was keeping out for you."

Shaking my head, I reached out and ruffled his hair. "No, it's fine. I wanted to hear about your first day, remember? That's the most important thing to me." And I smiled gently at him to prove it. He nodded and followed as I got up from my bed and went to the kitchen. I passed by my father on the way, who asked how I did. I answered, "Well. Successful." I paused and added, "Thanks for going today. It means a lot to us all."

Daitan smiled lightly up at him. He nodded his answer before moving on, and I entered the kitchen with Daitan, where we found our mother. She smiled at us both and set some food at my place. Sitting down, I ate it, but also talked to them both. We talked about everything from about Daitan's first day to things occurring in the village. When I finished, I helped our mother wash the dishes, and as they came to an end, Daitan left to go to finish his homework, which wasn't much left.

"It's wonderful what you do for your brother," my mother said softly after he left the room. "He really looks up to you."

I tilted my head and glanced at her, my expression softening. "Of course. I love him and would do anything for him, including standing up to Father." Her expression was also very soft and gentle, and I could see how touched she was. As we were done, I hugged her. "Daitan feels the same about you. We know how much you do for us, Mother, and we love you, too."

She hugged me back, and she smiled, her expression softening even more if that was possible. I felt just as touched as she was. She quickly excused herself from the room, her hands at her chest where her heart was. I knew it wasn't easy for her. It wasn't easy being the mother in a family like ours, being in the middle between us and our father and the rest of our clan, but I was touched about how well she did.

I took a deep breath, and then like yesterday, I went to my room, shut the door, and jumped out the window to the roof. Sitting down, I wrapped my arms around my legs and looked up at the moon. Memories of my mission began to float through my mind. There were the images of the men I took down, the pain in their expressions, some only injured, and only a few of them taking a few more breathes before becoming still. Many of them ran off, thinking there was trouble in another part of the area. Just a trap of the senses. A genjutsu. All of them were pawns. Used by their leaders and used by me.

I shifted in my spot and pulled my legs closer, biting my lip lightly. The moon couldn't bring me the comfort tonight like she sometimes could. She couldn't take away the pain the men suffered. She couldn't erase the images in my mind. Nor could she stop the missions I went on to protect this village or to strengthen my clan. She couldn't turn back time, and she couldn't change the fact that I wasn't there for the boys' first day or Itachi's mission. Deep down, I knew the other ninjas were fighting for what they believed in and I was doing the same. But we all have lives outside our battles, and I didn't know what they had to return to. And I knew that I couldn't go back and see the ones I care about in their big moments.

**Itachi's point of View**

I found Mizuki in the same spot as yesterday, as expected, but I found her biting her lip and holding onto her legs tightly. Sitting down next to her on her roof, I laid a hand on her back and gently rubbed it. "What happened?"

As she tilted her head towards me, there was some remorse in her voice. "My mission went well. I succeeded." She hesitated, and silence settled for a few minutes. I kept rubbing her back, waiting for her to continue, willing to wait for her. "I hurt some people, and I killed some. Most lived though." Her grip on her legs tightened, and her hands were trembling.

My expression softening, I knew what this was about. She was excellent at her job, being efficient at everything. Though she could go through it with few emotions involved, though she hurt as few people as she could, and though she didn't talk about it a lot, it was hard for her to completely forget about what she had done. She also felt bad about it sometimes. And I understood. It was hard to see blood and violence. It was hard to have that kind of life. But usually we both remembered it was our duty, our dream, our goals to get better and help the village. We would also remember that we had each other for anything, that we had our bond.

To comfort her, I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her close, letting her know that I was here for her, as always. "You did the right thing. You're not a bad person," I told her, knowing it was one thing going through her mind. "You can't know for sure what type of people they were or what kinds of lives they lead. They fought for what they believed in and so did you." I left a lot unspoken. It was something we understood, something we felt. She knew I was here, and that was what mattered most.

She let go of her legs and leaned into me, resting her head back against my shoulder. A silence settled between us, and her gaze went towards the moon, seeming to be looking for an answer, an understanding to her conflicting thoughts. Eventually, she nodded in understanding at what I said and then slowly lifted her head to gaze up at me, her expression torn. "We missed the boys' first day, and I wasn't there for your mission. I'm horrible," she murmured, her voice soft.

"No, you're not," I answered, shaking my head and softening my expression again. "It's not your fault." She frowned still, not seeming to believe it. "I know you would've have gone if you could and the boys know that, too." After searching my expression, she finally nodded, and I felt her ease up. "I got into the ANBU."

"I knew you would." She smiled softly and rested her head on my shoulder again. "I bet your family is proud."

"They are, especially my father." She nodded, not seeming surprised at all. "Your advice was helpful," I said, thanking her.

She shifted in place, blushing some. "I didn't do much. You have the talent, and you accomplished the mission without me." I opened my mouth to argue, but she cut in before I could speak. "I bet Sasuke is excited about today. Daitan is, and he told me about their first day."

I nodded, letting the change in topic slide this time. "He is, and I'm proud of him, of both of them." And it was true.

"Me, too." In the distance, we could see a bird flying our way, and Mizuki shifted again, sitting up straighter. "It's one of the Hokage's birds. He sends them out sometimes when he has messages for us," she explained. When the bird came close enough, she held her arm out, and it landed. Sure enough, there was a message tied around one of its legs, and she used her free hand to get it. She unfolded it and read the message, a light smile forming on her lips. "Seems like we have our first mission together tomorrow." She lifted her arm up gently and the bird flew off.

I smiled, too. "That's great. What is it?"

"A surveillance one," she said softly. "Along with a few other members, we'll have to scout the premier of our borders for a few days. He thinks the enemy might sneak back to gain back the scrolls because of how desperate they are. So he wants higher ranked ninja to go to go. Who knows what might happen if they do come." Her voice became softer but firm. "We take them down if they trespass again and bring them back, dead or alive, so we can pull information from them." Some moments of silence passed, both of us thoughtful, before she finally smiled determinedly. "A mission together, finally. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

I nodded, knowing it has been. "We should prepare and get some rest before morning comes then."

She agreed, standing up, and I could feel a new coolness, an emptiness, where she was once sitting. She shivered some, also from the fading body warmth, but held her hand out. When I took it, she helped me up. "Thank you," she murmured, hugging me.

I hugged her back, knowing it was for being there for her, but this was our bond, our connection, and I would never break it. We said our good-byes and planned where we would meet in the morning. She would let the rest of our team know. I watched as she jumped down to her window still and slipped into her room. She peaked back out to look up at me, waved, and then her figure disappeared and her window closed. As I left, I thought of the mission tomorrow with her and the rest of the team.

**Mizuki's Point of View**

I sat at my desk, working on the paperwork for the mission I went on today, the moon's light shining down on the paper. Daitan came to say good-night a while ago, and the house now seemed silent. But I was just finishing up. When I was done, I heard a light tap on the window, and I looked to find Myou just outside the glass. He was around eighteen years old and joined the ANBU months after I did. Since I had gone on missions with him sometimes, I could tell that he was talented and a good team member. He was actually a member of my team tomorrow.

I stood up and walked over, opening the window. "Hey," I murmured quietly, stepping back. "You heard about the mission yet?"

Lightly jumping into the room, he nodded. "Yes. Taira knows, too." I nodded, knowing that Taira was the other member of our team for tomorrow. "So, Itachi's in the club now. Does he know about the mission yet?" He looked wary as he spoke.

I narrowed my eyes at him slightly. "Cut it out. I know a lot goes around about his clan, but Itachi is different. He's a great ninja, and he's completely prepared for tomorrow."

Myou held his hands up as if in defeat, and he smiled somewhat. "Sorry, it won't happen again, Senpai. Just relax. I'll trust the Hokage's decision in choosing him." When I relaxed some, he asked, "So, when and where are we meeting in the morning?"

And I told him the details. I didn't tell him this, but I wanted to walk Daitan and Sasuke to school in the morning since I hadn't been there for them today and since I would be gone for a few days. It would mean a lot to us all. So I told him a time shortly after this, giving myself enough time to get home and ready. Besides, it would give the others a little more time to prepare since we didn't have much of a notice for the mission.

Myou agreed on the details, promising to let Taira know. "See you tomorrow."

After I said the same and returned his light smile, he left, and I shut the window. I couldn't wait for tomorrow. Though I was the team leader, and though there was a chance of enemy coming over the borders, I was going to work with Itachi. Even though I had trained with him on numerous occasions, this will be the first time in a long time that I went on a mission with him. It was going to be great to see how great he will do on a mission.


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

**Mizuki's Point of View**

"You think they have enough girls chasing after them?" Itachi asked, chuckling lightly.

"No, I'm sure there are more girls that we don't know about." Playful sarcasm filled my tone.

We were standing in front of the school, having just finished saying good-byes to Sasuke and Daitan and watching them enter. There was a group of girls who were also watching them, giggling and shouting out their hellos to our brothers. Only for them to ignore. A few of them turned their eyes to us, their gazes softening on Itachi and then hardening on me. A couple of them actually winced looking at me, more specifically at my eyes. I almost wanted to laugh at them all. When I was their age, I didn't care about boys or competition. If they could call me competition.

"We better go and get ready. We have to meet up with the others soon," I reminded Itachi, turning to leave.

He nodded and went in the direction of his home. As I walked away, I saw one boy with blonde hair, alone on the wooden swing hanging by a tree close to the school. He looked at the other kids and then hung his head down. Softening my expression, I recognized him as Naruto, the boy that Daitan described, but I had seen him around the village. He was always alone, always shunned, always yelling about being the Hokage one day. I paused as I was passing the swing and petted his head. His head jerked up suddenly at my touch, his eyes widening on me.

I smiled softly at him. "Don't give up. Go make some friends, and it'll get better. You can consider me as your first one, if you want."

As I nodded towards the school and the other kids, he looked over before looking back at me. He smiled, seeming grateful, and got up. "I'll remember you when I become Hokage one day. Believe it!" And he took off for the school and the other kids without asking for my name or introducing himself properly.

Chuckling lightly, I started walking again, knowing that I was going to keep to my word in being his friend if he still wanted it. When I reached my clan's compound area, however, the amusement over the girls and over Naruto began to shed off in layers. By the time I reached my room in my home, I was torn between suppressing my emotions and looking forward to working with Itachi. And I knew it was going to be an interesting mission simply with that.

**Itachi's Point of View**

She was a completely different Mizuki from the girl I knew. From the girl I had just seen earlier. She was emotionless and in control, but efficient, coming up with plans and telling us how we could go about it. I had seen this side of her before during missions we went on a long time ago or during training sessions, but not like this. Before, it only peaked out, but now was different. It was all out. Now I completely understood how well she did her job and how she was able to do what she did. And in a way, it almost reminded me of her father, of the cold, distant man pushing her into this job. But I knew this would shed off later when the mission was over and she took off her mask. Unlike him.

The other team members, Myou and Taira, seemed to respect her deeply. They continued to refer her to as 'Senpai' or sometimes 'Mizuki-Senpai' and always paused to look at me when I simply called her Mizuki. She didn't seem to notice or mind though, so the others usually shrugged it off. Otherwise, we got along smoothly. Myou seemed nice enough but slightly wary. Taira was completely calm and neutral, which seemed to fit her name.

Since we moved swiftly, we covered a lot of ground, and we eventually reached the Leaf border. Mizuki came up with the plan of us splitting up to cover more ground, but just in case, she also developed a signal that we could use to meet up or for help. She also came up with a schedule of us meeting at different times to gather any information we had or any hints of the enemy. If we caught an enemy, she wanted us to signal for help and we all gathered there if we were able to. And she also wanted to keep the enemy alive if we could, in order to achieve more information out of them. She reminded us that we would be out there for a few days before a new shift of ninjas come out to replace us so she encouraged us to try hard while we were there. She didn't leave out any details. It was all clear and understood. And I was once again reminded of how well she performed her job.

We all nodded in understanding before splitting up. I headed for the area that had been assigned for me to cover. I wasn't going to give up. I was going to prove myself to Mizuki, to my clan, to the other ANBU members, and to the village.

For the rest of the day, nothing special happened in my area. No enemy activity whatsoever. That stuck out to me because Mizuki told me how desperate they were to gain knowledge and power in any way possible. The others thought it was also strange. They had no suspicious activity in their areas either. However, on the second day of our mission, I was scouting in my area close to the border in the early afternoon when I saw a pair of travelers walking along a path heading to our land. They were looking around suspiciously and looked very uncomfortable, and that stood out to me.

I jumped down from the tree that I was in and landed in front of them, just before they reached the border. "Who are you guys? And where are you heading?"

They jumped, their eyes narrowing on me. Sure enough, as I suspected, they dropped their disguises, looking like the ninjas Mizuki described from the other land. As they ran at me with their weapons ready, I quickly sent out the signal for the others and got ready to defend myself and to attack back.

**Mizuki's Point of View**

I saw a signal go off, and it came from Itachi's area. My heart dropped. The first thought in my mind was that he was hurt or was in trouble. The last time I saw him was probably around an hour or two ago, when we all meet briefly. Other than being a little tired, which was understandable on the second day of a wakeful mission, he seemed perfectly fine. But who knew what could happen in the time since then. And the last thing I wanted was for him to get hurt.

But I quickly pulled myself together and took a deep breath, suppressing my emotions again the best I could. Reminding myself that it could be the enemy or suspicious activity, I swiftly moved in the direction of the signal, hoping that the others saw it, too. I was frantic to get there, but I was careful. I reached the spot the signal came from before anyone else did and what I saw made me proud.

Itachi was facing two of the enemy ninja and was doing well. After knocking them both away from him, he make quick hand signs and looked at one of them, who then shouted and spit out a little blood. A genjutsu. And I knew it wouldn't kill him, even as he fell to the ground limply. The other man looked angry, with his eyebrows furrowed together tightly and his face turning red. He stepped forward and was about to charge at Itachi, who had been turned to face the other enemy ninja. Itachi saw him in time and was about to turn around to face him.

But I thought it was time to step in and end it, especially now when the enemy couldn't see me. Jumping down, I landed behind the man, raised my right hand, and hit him in one of his pressure points. He fell down limply with a grunt. Looking over at Itachi, who turned to face me, I tilted my head. "Sorry I interrupted your glory there. You were actually doing well."

He waved it off. "No problem, but thank you."

Myou and Taira showed up just then, landing between Itachi and I. Both of them studied the results of the battle, and Myou was the first one to speak. "So, they did come," he stated bluntly. "And did you take them down, Itachi?" he then asked with what sounded like some doubt in his tone.

"Myou, stop it," I ordered sternly, my eyes narrowing slightly even though I knew he couldn't see my face. "He has more than proved himself. I personally saw him fight."

He held his hands up in surrender, muttering his apologizes to both me and to Itachi, which we both accepted. Afterwards, I did hand signs, and once I was finished, two clones appeared. As instructed, they both picked up an enemy ninja and left to take them back to the village along with a message to the Hokage of what had been going on.

When I was finished, I looked back at the others, who had been watching me the whole time. "I appreciate all the work you guys have been doing, but it's time to head back out to our stations. You all know the schedule and know the plan for the rest of our mission." They all nodded, and Myou and Taira quickly left to return to their assigned areas. As I turned to leave, I paused, looked back at Itachi, and murmured, "I really am proud of how well you're doing." Before he could react, I took off for my own area.

We found a couple more enemy ninja trying to sneak across the borders, but it was nothing we couldn't handle. We also realized how desperate they were by how they kept trying to sneak back. Though it was tiring work, I was grateful to see my team pull through it, especially Itachi, but I was hoping that we would have back-up soon for their sakes. I knew they were growing tired, even though none of them admitted it and worked to cover it up. They kept up the hard work, nonetheless.

Very early in the morning on the forth day, our replacements finally came. Though I was tired, I was more concerned about the rest of my team. I sent them all home while I stayed back and explained what had happened so far to the others. Itachi was the only one that hesitated to leave and left only when I promised to see him later. Our replacements were aware of the circumstances since the Hokage was able to explain to them what I had told him of my mission the other day and from the ninjas and messages we had been sending to them. But they also seemed to appreciate my side of the story as well.

As soon as they were completely prepared and understood the mission, I left with a transportation jutsu. After I appeared in my room and checked to make sure the door was closed, I took off my mask, headband, metal arm guards, gloves, kunai holster, pouch, katana, and ninja scandals. I let my hair down and gathered some casual clothing. Peaking out of my room, I saw that no one was around and quickly but quietly ran to the bathroom. My family had seen me in my uniform before, but I was still uncomfortable about it. It was the side of me that I never wanted Daitan to see though he knew about it. I never wanted him to see how tired or torn up I was. Or how I lost emotions on missions.

Once safe and locked in the bathroom, I slipped out of the rest of my uniform and hid it in the laundry hamper. I took a shower, washing away all the dirt, some stress, and a bit of blood, and I felt my emotions washing over me once again. Biting my bottom lip, I tried to push out memories of my mission, trying to remind myself that no one was killed, but I still couldn't forget a lot of the enemies' expressions as they were caught and taken down. I couldn't forget how desperate they were. I sighed to myself as I got out of the shower, wondering if it would always be like that, if I would always feel that way after a mission. After drying myself off, I got dressed and heard a very light knock. I peaked out of the room to find Daitan there in his pajamas and his hair ruffled like he had just gotten up.

I instantly felt bad as I opened the door and stepped out, thinking that I had kept him waiting. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Brother. You must be getting ready for school."

He blinked a few times, looking surprised. "Mizuki, it's the weekend."

I followed suit, blinking a couple of times, before remembering what day it was. "Oh," I murmured softly. "Forgive me. I just got home." Sighing, I rubbed my forehead, feeling worst than before. I didn't want him to know how tired I was or feel bad at all.

A few moments passed before I felt his small arms wrapping around my waist and his head resting on my stomach. Feeling his embrace tighten, I looked down at him and saw him burying his face into my shirt, pressing more on my stomach. "Don't worry, Sister. I'm just glad you came home safe," he said, his voice as tight as his hug.

My expression softened, and I hugged him back. "I'm glad to be back and to be with you again."

He tilted his head to look up at me, still looking unsure. I smiled gently at him. "I missed you. So let's spend time together today while we both have free time." He returned my smile and nodded. "You can go get ready, and I'll work on some paperwork. Then we can go for a walk."

"Not before you both get some breakfast." We both let go of each other and turned towards the voice. Our mother was standing a few feet away, her expression soft and touched. "I'm sure you're both hungry, especially you, Mizuki. I always worry about you eating right while you're on long missions." As if on cue, my stomach let out a low growl, and I blushed, knowing that she was right and didn't eat as I should have on the mission because being on guard seemed more important. She gave me a knowing look. "I thought so." But the soft look she had didn't leave her face as she turned and walked towards the direction of the kitchen.

Daitan chuckled as he headed for his room and I went to my room. He got ready, and I worked on the paperwork that the Hokage sent to me. Though I was tired, I knew I had to do it, but I really didn't mind. While many people complained about doing it, I saw paperwork as a way to keep the village organized. Besides, I was looking forward to taking a walk since it was nice out, since Daitan was coming, and since it could take my mind off the mission. And all of that caused me to wake up. I also didn't want Daitan to worry anymore of me being tired, since I started off on the wrong foot a while ago. I didn't want to be disappointed, I didn't want him to worry, and I didn't want to remember the men we took down. Flashes of these memories ran through my mind as I recalled details to add to the paperwork. It worn me down with the exhaustion of the mission, but I once again snapped out of it when Daitan walked into my room to tell me that the meal was ready.

My father was on a mission, so it was just our mother, Daitan, and I eating breakfast, but it was a nice meal. Daitan asked if our father would train with him when he got home and if I thought he would be proud of his schoolwork. I traded a glance with our mother and told him that it was possible. He looked hurt, but I promised that I would train with him when I was home, even if our father didn't, and our mother also promised. Though she hadn't gone on many missions since Daitan was born, our mother was a jonin and was a good ninja, a good teacher.

We slightly changed the subject and talked about Daitan's week at school, which I was happy about since I hadn't been there and wanted to hear about it. I was even more happy and proud to hear how well he was doing, but I wasn't surprised since I know he'll always do well. The only thing he didn't like about school were the girls, who seemed to be obsessed with both him and Sasuke. The girls getting especially on their nerves are two girls named Sakura and Ino. Though most of the girls were giving them a lot of attention, those two girls were a little more outgoing about it. I could understand how he felt, but at the same time, I found it amusing.

At some point during the conversation, I asked about Naruto. Daitan seemed confused about me asking, but said that Naruto spent a lot of time alone and that a lot of the other kids thought he was weird. He also pulled a lot of pranks and got in trouble. And I felt bad for him, but completely understood how he must be feeling. It was hard being isolated and not having things be in your control. I was really hoping that Naruto would have made some friends after our talk the other day, but I guess the other kids weren't willing to give him a chance. Even our mother's expression softened and looked sad as she listened about this boy.

When the meal was done, I asked Daitan to go get the manila file folder I had on my desk. It had the paperwork from the missions that I had done this week. As he complied, I helped our mother with cleaning the dishes. My mind started to drift once he was out of the room, and some moments of silence passed.

My mother glanced at me and her voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "How was your mission? Did Itachi do well?"

I looked at her quickly, a half cleaned dish in my hand. "How did you know he was going?"

She smiled as she worked. "One night earlier this week, I went outside to get some fresh air and heard you both on the roof. Don't be too surprised, dear. I know not to tell anyone about Itachi being in the ANBU."

I smiled lightly, knowing full well that she wouldn't. I was more surprised that I didn't hear or sense her outside that night. Just then, Daitan came back into the kitchen with the folder in his hand. He waited until we were finished though, shifting from foot to foot the whole time. When we were done, I asked if he was ready, and he nodded, a grin forming on his face, making me feel touched.

After saying our good-byes with our mother, we left and headed for the gates of our clan's area. We were greeted by the few relatives that were out. One of our cousins, Kuro, was also heading out but for a mission. He was around sixteen years old and a jonin. He was usually quite serious and distant, but I know there was some kindness somewhere in him. Like most of the rest of our family, he had black hair and blue eyes and a similar appearance to the rest of us. He said that we should train sometime when we were both free, and I agreed.

Once we were out of our clan's area, Daitan asked where we should go first. I told him the Hokage's office since I had the paperwork for him. He nodded and followed as I headed in that direction. The trip was comfortably silent, and we both enjoyed the scenery. The only downside were the occasional looks or whispers from other villagers being aimed in our direction, mostly at me. I was used to it, and I believe that Daitan was starting to because he didn't say anything. However, he occasionally looked at me very curiously.

Eventually, we reached the Hokage's office, and I knocked. "Come in," he answered. We both walked in and shut the door behind us. He smiled at us both. "Hello you two. How have you been?"

"We're both well." I smiled at him and handed him the folder. "Here's the paperwork for both of the missions. They were both successful, and Itachi did well on his first mission."

"Excellent. I'll look over this a little later, and I'm not surprised about you all being successful." His smile brightened, and he turned to Daitan. "How's school going?"

"It's great," Daitain replied, smiling.

"Even better. I hope you're both enjoying your day off." We nodded, telling him that we were and that we were taking a walk. His expression softened with that, and he checked the time. "Oh here, let's walk together for a while," he said, getting up from his desk. I opened my mouth to argue, but he cut me off. "Don't worry about it, dear. It's nice out and there was something I had to do."

I was touched as he walked over to us and ruffled Daitan's hair. Opening the door, he let us walk out first and followed as we make our way down the hallway and then out of the building. As we walked around, we talked about the village, and he asked about our lives. He listened and nodded the whole time we talked, seeming genuinely interested in what we had to say. His expression softened when he asked after our family. He saw Daitan's face slightly scrunching up with that, and he traded a glance with me. "They're doing well," I had simply said, but I could tell that he didn't completely believe it. I asked after his family and how he was doing, and he seemed touched as he answered.

As we were about to pass a building, the Hokage stopped and turned to us. "This is where I leave you both. I hope to see you both soon."

I smiled at him. "I'll see you soon, sir."

When Daitan said the same thing, the Hokage smiled at us both before walking into the building. As we turned and started walking towards the park, Daitan kept looking up at me curiously, and I was wondering why, but I decided to let him say whatever was on his mind when he was ready to. Finally, as we came close to the park, he looked up to meet my gaze and softly asked, "Are you okay?"

Tilting my head some, I softened my expression. "I am. Why do you ask?" Before he could answer though, I heard my name being shouted out. I turned and saw a boy running towards us. He was my age and looked very familiar. When he came close enough, I recognized him and immediately narrowed my eyes at him. "Come on, Daitan," I said, taking his wrist and walking away quickly.

He blinked, looking confused and struggling to keep up with me. "But that boy is calling you."

My jaw tightening, I didn't answer. The boy that was following, the boy calling me, he was in my class at the Academy. His name was Mareo, and we had never talked, not even in the year I had class with him. And he had never approached me until this point, but I was glad of that. He was one of the kids who talked about me, though I had to admit that I didn't see or hear him doing it as often as the other kids and he did look at me compassionately at me sometimes. But that didn't change what he did. That didn't take back anything. He didn't have to join the others, however infrequent. And he never approached me or apologized before.

The sound of the soil crunching behind us let me know that Mareo was running faster and catching up. When he ran around me and stopped in front, I tried to walk around him. He moved and stepped in front of me again, breathing a little heavier. "Wait, stop!" he said between breaths. He had shaggy black hair and dark eyes, which were focused on me.

My eyes narrowing even more, I hissed out, "I have nothing to wait for." My free hand curled up tightly at my side, and both of my hands were trembling slightly.

Daitan looked up at me in complete disbelief, his eyes widening and hurt in them, not having seen this side of me often. But I couldn't help it. Though I tried not to pay much attention to what others said about me, it still hurt. Those negative feelings tended to build up after a while, no matter how I tried to push them away. And Mareo's past behavior, though slightly kinder than the others, wasn't any different.

Even Mareo looked hurt now as he caught his breath. "I'm sorry," he said softly after some moments of tense silence. "I know what I did a long time ago was wrong, but I was thinking we could forget and forgive. I understand if you don't want to." He spoke with what seemed like genuine concern and regret in his tone. It was even in his expression. "I really am sorry," he repeated when I didn't answer. "I used to defend you." My jaw tightened again, not believing him, and he rushed to continue. "I did. In the first few days of school, I didn't talk about you at all and then one day, I defended you while you were reading with Itachi during break. And the other kids laughed at me, calling me weird for defending you. I later joined in, only a couple of times, because I didn't want to be left out. And I know I shouldn't have done it and I should have apologized sooner, but it seemed like you were always busy with missions or training or something. But I'll do anything now to make it up to you."

Daitan tugged at the edge of my shirt with his free hand. "Sister?" Concern colored his tone, and that was all it took for me to snap out of it.

I softened my expression on him. "Don't worry." I then turned back to Mareo, my eyes firmly narrowing again. "I'll forgive you, but I can't forget, not ever. Maybe, just maybe, we can be friends, but if this is a trick, it'll be on you later." I wasn't even sure about being friends with him, only making the attempt for Datian's sake and for the sake of peace.

Mareo's expression softened, and he smiled. "Thank you, Mizuki."

Waving it off with my free hand, I turned and walked off with Daitan, loosening the grip that I had on his wrist. I didn't hear Mareo following so I assumed that he was happy enough with our meeting for now. Daitan and I walked to the park and down some of the trails, talking about everything and enjoying the scenery. He smiled lightly, happy to have his usual sister back. And I was a bit happier as well, happy to be with him after a certainly interesting week.


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

**Mizuki's Point of View**

As Daitan and I were walking away from the park, Taira suddenly appeared at my side, walking along with us. Daitan looked over at her curiously, and I tilted my head towards her. She had short brown hair and brown eyes, and her expression was blank, neutral, calm. She didn't even look at me at first. It didn't bother me though because I was used to it. She was always like that, but I knew she could be kind and loyal. She just needed to open up.

We walked in silence for a few minutes before she finally decided to speak. "Senpai, one of the—" She paused to look at Daitan before looking back at me and continuing on. "One of our friends isn't talking, and we thought that you might be able to help." A slight emphasis had been added to word 'friends,' and I knew she must have meant one of the enemy ninjas that we sent back. And I was grateful she found a way to tell me in a less obvious way. I didn't want Daitan to know and get worried.

Playing along, I asked which friend was it. She made up a name and said that she had just stopped by to check to make sure that things were okay when she realized that there was a problem. I was touched to hear that, too. After a rather long, tiring mission, she actually checked in on her day off to make sure that things were okay. But at the same time, I felt bad. I should have done that. And I knew Daitan would be disappointed for me having to leave him when I promised to spend today with him. I regretted leaving him, too.

As expected, he looked at me with hurt in his eyes. "I know something is going on," he said softly. My expression softened, and I knew that it was hard to get anything past him. He grabbed my hand and squeezed tight. "I'm coming." Taira's eyebrows went up, and I opened my mouth to argue, but he shook his head before I could and looked determined. "I want to come. I know you're tired, and I want to help."

Even though I was touched at his determination and concern, I felt bad and I didn't want him to get hurt or see me when working. I gathered my thoughts quickly and decided on a compromise. "You can stay out in the lobby with Taira." He looked ready to argue. "You can help by waiting for me. If I'm tired or upset when I come back out, then I know you'll be there for me."

Finally he nodded, agreeing with my plan. I traded a glance with Taira, and she simply nodded. Though I felt bad for dragging her more into it, I also felt grateful that she was willing to help out. We started heading for where we held the prisoners and where we tortured or interrogated them for information. I decided not to get changed into uniform. I had different strategies in place for breaking people down and it sometimes helped if I wasn't in uniform and they could see me clearly.

When we reached the building, we walked in, and I turned to face Daitan, ruffling his hair. "Promise to stay out here with Taira, okay? I'll need you when I come out."

Nodding, he looked torn between concern and determination. "Please be careful."

Feeling touched once again, I promised. Then I turned to walk down a hallway, losing emotion and becoming more tense and rigid once Daitan couldn't see me. On the way over, Taira told me which room to go to. She also added that Ibiki was out on some other mission and that was why I was called in. Ibiki was one of the commanding officers of the Torture and Interrogation Force. He was a master of torturing and interrogating people and was often brought in to do so when the situation called for it. When I reached the room, I found some of his team outside the room, and they told me what was going on. Some of Ibiki's other team members were with him, and the remaining ones were having trouble with one of the enemy ninjas we sent back to them. All but one cracked. They tried many of their strategies, and none were working very well. They thought that I could help despite my age since I had some experience with torture and interrogation. They hoped that I would have some sort of plan that could help out.

I understood and thought of a strategy before walking into the room, shutting the door behind me. One of the men we caught and took down during the long mission was chained down to a chair in the middle of the room. He was bandaged up from the wounds of the battle and what looked like the attempts made by the others to draw out information. However, there were no tools in the room to show that they tried. But I knew that they have tried, and they also knew that I wouldn't need any of the tools. Sitting down in the chair across from the man, I studied him carefully and added to my strategy. He seemed to be in his thirties, and he also stared at me, blinking occasionally.

Some moments passed before he smirked and chuckled. "They sent a child to talk to me, huh? Ha, you're just a young girl."

Tilting my head, I wasn't surprised that he didn't realize that I was the one who took him down in the first place and sent him here. And he wasn't going to find out. "Do you have any children?"

Abruptly stopping in his amusement, he looked at me with his eyebrows raised, but then he looked suspicious, narrowing his eyes and his eyebrows drawing together. "Why?" And he looked unsure about where this conversation was heading.

I shrugged, feeling indifferent, but this was a part of my plan. "I was just wondering if they miss their father."

Emotions played across his face, but he quickly composed himself. "I have two," he stated shortly. He shifted in his seat, and I knew he was getting uncomfortable with this conversation already. Excellent. And I already found a weakness in him.

Looking him in the eye, I said softly, "I wonder if they know about you failing. How would they feel about that?" He tried to stand straight up, but he couldn't with the chains that kept him bound. Next he tried to break them, grunting the whole time, and he was glaring at me hard. Meanwhile, I crossed my arms and sat back in my seat, crossing my legs in the process. "How could you ever face your family again, knowing what you do, knowing that you failed? You let your comrades, your land, and your family down. You couldn't stop us. You couldn't pull through."

I knew full well that what I was doing was cruel, and I didn't want to do it, but it was my duty. All else had failed. Conventional ways failed. We needed to try something else, and this seemed to be working. It seemed to be getting him, and I knew this as I watched him struggle against his chains. Instead of using a genjutsu to torture him like I sometimes used for others, I was doing it verbally. Both were mentally horrible. Both made people suffer in ways they didn't want to ever imagine.

"Leave them out of this!" he shouted, still struggling to get free, still glaring. "You witch, you scum ninja, you bastard! You don't know what you're talking about!"

Gripping my arms and my jaw tightening, I narrowed my eyes at him before taking a deep breath. I had to remind myself that he didn't know me and that he was acting this way because of what we were doing to him. Picking at the edge of my shirt, I decided to end this quickly. "Do you think you'll see them again?" He froze immediately and gazed at me with wide eyes, hurt and desire clearly in them. I returned his gaze and tilted my head. "Do you want to?" He nodded, his features slowly softening. "Any good father would want that." Letting it sink in, I watched him carefully.

He looked down at the floor, completely quiet. Tense filled minutes passed by slowly. Finally he lifted his head and looked at me, his expression still very torn. "Will I be released? Will I be allowed to see them again?" he asked with desperation in his voice.

I let my expression soften somewhat. "You might," I murmured softly, not completely sure. "I know you don't want to give us information, but maybe doing so could possibly increase your chances of being let go."

He searched my expression, doubt now settling into his expression, and I couldn't blame him. "I think you and my daughter could be friends if the circumstances were different." He smiled lightly, and I returned it. "If our people ever become allies, maybe things could be different."

"I'm sure they could be, too." And I meant it. Peace and being allies could bring about change.

The man shifted in his seat, his gaze studying me again. "If I tell you anything, you won't harm my people, correct?"

I knew we wanted to know about his people and his land, but I didn't think we were going to attack. "I don't think we will attack. I will most certainly talk to the Hokage about this. Perhaps he will consider some changes." And I hoped that he would. Peace was better than being at war or being on guard against attacks, especially from people so close to our borders.

Taking a deep breath, he nodded and started telling me information. I listened, appreciating his change in attitude. Though pressing his buttons wasn't easy, it had to be done, and it was bringing results. Maybe something will happen, like we had talked about. When he was finished, he apologized for calling me names, for laughing at my age, for acting the way he did, and for the way his people had been acting. They really were just desperate to become better. Being located so close to our borders this whole time, they saw us moving so quickly forward, and they wanted to catch up, to become better, to be happier. He seemed genuine as I explored his expression and his eyes and as I listened.

Since I understood and since he seemed genuine enough about everything, I accepted his apology and thanked him for working with me. When he hung his head down, I told him to not give up. That was the only advice or anything close to encouragement or hope that I could give him. I couldn't guarantee what would happen to him or his people after that. He simply nodded and didn't watch as I stood up and walked out of the room. When I walked back out, I found that the others had been standing just outside the room the whole time. They heard most of it, but I filled them all in on what happened. When I was finished, they all thanked me and said that I did a good job.

I waved the praise off and walked after that. But I stopped while walking down one of the hallways when no one was around, where no one could see me. Leaning into one of the walls, I closed my eyes and bit my lower lip, letting all of the memories flow through my mind. The men's expressions, the fear and desperation in their eyes, the knowledge that they were getting caught for trying to catch up with us. The interrogation with the man I just saw, his fierce determination to not break completely falling to pieces when I pressed him enough. I had done so much damage to these people in a matter of days. Short, few days. When I felt the sharp jab of my nails biting into my palms from curling my hands tight, I took some deep breaths. I hurt them as part of my dream of becoming better, as part of my duty, as part of being loyal, as part of defending my village. I had to help and move towards peace. My knees almost buckled under me as I opened my eyes. My eyes blurred for a moment, and I felt tired, but I gathered myself together. I had to. Daitan was waiting for me. I composed myself as I walked back to the front of the building and found Daitan and Taira in the front room where I left them.

Daitan ran over and looked up at me. "Are you okay?"

My expression softened, the tension of the missions now leaving my mind for the time being. "I'm okay, Brother. Thank you for waiting." I shot Taira a look and nodded. She nodded back and her eyes let me know that she seemed to understand that I was successful. "Thank you for waiting with him."

A very rare smile blossomed on her face. "It was no problem. He really does care about you." And I couldn't help but smile back at her, touched and grateful. "I better go, but I'll see you soon, Mizuki-Senpai." When Daitan and I told her that we would see her soon, she left.

As we walked outside, I kept promising Daitan that I was fine. He finally ceased and seemed thoughtful as we walked home. The peaceful evening atmosphere settled in. As we approached our clan's compound area, he looked up at me. "I don't want you to be hurt or tired anymore," he said softly.

I ruffled his hair, an awkward but soft smile forming on my face, realizing why he had been so concerned today. "I'm okay, really. Please don't worry about it."

He didn't look convinced, with wrinkles forming on his forehead just about his furrowed brows, but he let it drop for now. When we got home, our mother had just finished dinner, and we ate together. I wasn't too hungry after everything that had happened, and the man's behavior, his expressions, and his confessions about his people's desperation wouldn't leave my mind. I couldn't forget what I had done to him either. But I made an effort to seem okay for Daitan's sake. He watched me during the meal and so did our mother. Once we were done, Daitan stayed at his place and watched as our mother and I washed dishes. The whole time, we talked mindlessly, mostly about the village. I told her about seeing the Hokage and what we talked about. And when we were done, I went and read a book with Daitan.

The house was silent as I walked from his room to my room. A light tapping was on my window once I entered, and I opened it and looked out. Itachi was there, his head tilted and his dark, serious eyes on me, and I remembered that I promised to see him after the mission. "I'm sorry," I murmured, feeling completely bad about not seeing him sooner. Another thing that I messed up on.

He searched my expression before smiling very gently. "Don't worry about it. Come up."

After he jumped up onto the roof, I followed and sat down with him. We moved into a discussion about the day. He told me that his father came to see him shortly after he got home and settled. His father wanted to know how his mission went. Itachi seemed to hesitate to tell me about the conversation with his father, and I wondered why. We told each other everything so it stood out to me that he would hold back. When I raised an eyebrow, he apologized, saying the discussion didn't go over too well with his father and it wasn't an easy topic to talk about. And I understood, but I still was not able to shake off the impression that he was still holding back. I didn't say anything though, letting it drop, letting him have his privacy if he wished it.

He added that he spent time with Sasuke, but at home. I asked after Sasuke, feeling bad that I hadn't seen much of him either in the past few days. Itachi told me not to worry too much about it and that we could hang out soon. He proceeded to tell me about how Sasuke was doing, seeming glad to do so, which I was touched to see. I felt the same bond to our brothers.

When he was finished, I told him what I had done today. His hands curled into fists at his sides when I told him what happened with Mareo and he frowned. But he didn't say anything. He didn't have to because I knew that he didn't agree with it either. It was in his eyes, in his expressions, in his actions. And I agreed. I paused when I told him about talking to the man today, tension filling my body. His expression softened, and he rubbed my back, silently encouraging me that he was there to listen and to help. And I appreciated what he did for me, grateful for our bond, and I leaned to his touch and comfort. He listened to everything I said.

As I finished, he softly said, "You did the right thing. He fought hard and so did you. Try talking to the Hokage about it, see what he says."

My hands curled tightly in my lap. "It's so hard doing something like that to someone and look into their face and see the damage you've done."

"I know, Mizuki, I know. But you both fought for what you believe is right. Talk to the Hokage. Fight for this peace and I'll be fighting with you. Maybe things will change. Understanding will change," he stated with a comforting confidence. I knew he was right, and I nodded in agreement, hoping that he was right, that it was as easy as it sounded. But I couldn't let it drop from my mind, from my heart, from my memories. Sensing this, he kept rubbing my back, and silence settled between us, letting it all sink in. Some minutes passed of us looking at the scenery and the moon before Itachi spoke. "I really am proud of how well you're doing," he said gently, repeating the same words I told him over the mission.

I looked at him quickly, studying his expression. He returned my gaze, his expression completely soft and gentle, and I knew that he meant it. I smiled softly. "I'm proud of you, too."

What happened next was a rarity from Itachi, even for me who had known him for so long. Though he had done it a couple of times before, he only did it when he was sincere and genuine and did it to show that he was there for me, was happy about something, was a part of the bond we shared. Letting his hand drop from my back, he leaned in and kissed my forehead. It was gentle like he was.

I could feel his warm breath on my face as he pulled away slightly to touch his forehead to mine and gazed into my eyes. "Despite anything that happens, remember our bond. We're always there for each other, we always understand, and we fight together."

I searched his expression and his gaze. I knew he meant it; I felt our bond always and it meant the world to me. But there was something different about his expression. Serious, deep, almost concerned, but also soft. It was torn. There was something hidden. I couldn't place my finger on it for some odd reason, which really bothered me because we had always been able to read other. We always knew each other so well. We shared almost everything. But I trusted him. I trusted his words because he was right. And I hoped that he would let me in soon so I could help him more. Finally I agreed verbally, saying he was right, telling him that we will always be there for each other.

He smiled at me, pulled away, and stood up. "I better go, but I'll see you soon," he promised. "You should go in and get some rest. We could all use it."

When I said the same and promised to get rest, he left. And when he was gone, I touched the place on my forehead where his lips made contact. It tingled and I couldn't help but smile because of my friend's actions. I felt lucky and special. Letting my hand fall back down to my side, I admired the scenery peacefully for a few minutes before I noticed something odd. I looked down into the area close by and below the roof. Daitan was entering the house, and I tilted my head. I hadn't heard or seen him coming out and I wondered why he had been out here in the first place at this time of night. But then I thought that he possibly wanted to get some fresh air and walk about the house before bed. He had been worried a lot today so it seemed logical to think he wanted to unwind.

Fatigue began to weigh down on me again, and I decided that I should go to bed. The long mission and the day's events whirling around in my mind reminded me that I needed the rest, like Itachi suggested. And I jumped back down to my room, planning to see the Hokage in the morning.

It was Sunday, and since he still had free time, Daitan decided to walk with me to the Hokage's office. However, he kept eyeing me very curiously, and I wondered if he was still concerned like yesterday. His actions ceased when we were in the Hokage's office. I was very hesitant as I talked to the Hokage about the man that I interrogated. My younger brother listened with full attention, and I knew that so I left out a lot of the more brutal details. I simply told him that the man gave me information, briefly told him some of it, said that Ibiki's team had more notes on it, and finished up by telling him about how the man wanted peace and his people wanted to be happy and strong like us. I suggested that we should work some sort of plan or treaty since the man's people were so close to our borders. We shouldn't risk another war or any other attacks, but rather focus on peace and forming allies to build nations and people together.

Our leader listened to everything I said, nodding when I finished. I knew it was a lot to consider, so I understood when he said that he would review the information from Ibiki's team and all the details that we had gathered about the man's people. Since I knew that he was busy, I bowed respectfully to him and thanked him for his time, and he thanked us for stopping by. He smiled softly as Daitan and I left.

Once we were out of the building, Daitan looked up at me and asked, "Can peace really happen?" Conflicting curiosity filled his expression and voice.

Ruffling his hair, I was torn how to answer. I wasn't completely sure if it was possible myself. Peace can be attained, but it was usually at a smaller level. There will always be a level of fighting along with a level of peace. Finally I answered, "That's a hard question, and I'll be honest with you. It'll take a lot of understanding between people to reach peace, and it isn't an easy task. Misunderstandings can happen, and a lot of people have different ideas of what peace is and how to achieve it. But I hope that it is possible. I'm fighting for it, and many others are also fighting for it. I hope that one day, we can reach it."

He studied my expression and finally nodded. "I hope so, too, and I'll fight with you for it."

As we were walking away from the building, Kuro appeared in front of us. He stated that he had just gotten back his mission. He then added, "Your father also just arrived home and would like to see you. Mizuki, maybe we could train later after you see him."

"Thank you. I'm sure that we can," I promised.

He nodded and walked with us on our way home, but didn't say anything else, a silence that I was used to from him. I ruffled Daitan's hair when we were almost home and giving him an encouraging smile as his eyebrows drew together and he looked uncomfortable. I knew he wanted to train with our father. He was just asking about it yesterday and I knew how much it meant to him.

Once we walked through our clan's compound area and reached our house, I opened the door and Daitan walked in. Kuro paused, and I raised an eyebrow at him. "You're welcome to come in. We're all family." He nodded and walked in with me following, shutting the door behind us. "I'll meet you both in the training area in a few minutes with Father," I told them both. I ruffled Daitan's hair in encouragement again, seeing him still nervous. He lead Kuro in the direction of the training area as I walked to our father's study.

Having gotten back from his mission as Kuro said, he was sitting in here, working on paperwork at his desk. He only paused when he heard my light footsteps stop once I was halfway through the room and turned to look into my expression. "Your mission went well, correct?" were the first words out of his mouth. He didn't looked concerned at all, just cold like always. Nor did he show or say he was concerned. No asking how I was or how Daitan was. Just how well I did.

My hands curled tightly at my sides, and my jaw tightened, not even being surprised. "Yes, it all went well," I grit out. "But that's not what I've come see you about." His eyebrows rose as he placed his pen down and turned to face me fully. "Did you know that Daitan is doing well with school?"

When he nodded curtly, I was caught off guard. "Your mother mentioned it," he answered shortly.

My nails dug more into the skin of my palms, and I had to take some deep breaths. Turned out that his answer actually didn't surprise me. "Figures that you wouldn't find it out on your own. You didn't ask him for yourself," I hissed out. His eyes narrowed hard on me, close to forming a glare, but I didn't care. I bore my gaze into his, standing up straighter. "You wanted a boy so badly that you ignored me in my few years of life until you saw potential in me. Now you have the boy you wanted, but you ignore him. He's your son and you treat him badly. You don't give him the chance to prove himself like you did with me."

He stood up straight, and I couldn't help but step back. But that didn't stop me from keeping my gaze from continuing to hold his. It was cold, deep, distant, but I didn't care. I was standing my ground, even when he spoke. "You have the duty of keeping our clan strong. Focus on your role instead of the role of others. Mind your own business."

My eyes narrowed further into very narrow slits. "Daitan is my business! He's my brother. I care about him and you should too." Pausing, I had to look away and take a few more deep breaths, my chest rising and falling and my whole body slightly shaking. This was actually a conversation that I was waiting for. It had to be done. When I was able to face him again, I returned his gaze once again. "Mother and I are the only ones around here that train him. We know his potential and we know what a great ninja that he will become. So show an interest in _your child_ and spend time with him. Or perhaps you don't deserve children. You don't deserve us if you're going to treat us like this." I let this sink in before I added, "We'll be in the training area if you're interested."

And I left the room and shut the door before he could respond. My mother was just outside the door, her hand posed as if she was about to knock or open the door. Her eyes were wide with concern and shock. At first, she moved as if to let me get by, but she hesitated and then hugged me tightly. Returning it, I bit my lip, not sure how much she heard and unsure of what she thought. My body was still shaking from the encounter, emotions flying through my veins, thoughts whirling in my mind. But I did it. I did it. I did it for our family. For me.

She held me for a few minutes, letting me take deep breaths and calm down. She must have known I needed that. "You did the right thing, and you did it well. I'm so proud of you dear," she whispered before pulling away and looking at me. "That was something that he needed to hear, and it was something that had to come from you. Standing up to him will do us all some good."

I nodded and tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace. She seemed to understand, squeezing my arm lightly in encouragement. She stayed by my side as we walked to the training area, where Daitan and Kuro waited. They both looked at me and then traded a look with her. I tried pushing my emotions away and was stepping forward, about to tell them that we could train together, that we could start without my father, that he might not even show up.

But before I could, I sensed his presence coming into the room. Though he still looked cold and stern, his eyes narrowing on me, he announced that he would train with Daitan after all. All of us, including Kuro, looked surprised, but we didn't question it. Though we wondered about his change in behavior, we all smiled at him, grateful and touched and honored for his actions and words. I gripped at my chest where my heart is, feeling it thumping faster, which did not surprise me at all. I had been waiting to see my father do this.

Kuro, my mother, and I moved to the side, allowing my father and Daitan have enough room to train. They stood, facing each other, and Daitan looked determined. Our father told him to demonstrate what he knew already. And my younger brother did just that. He recited and moved and demonstrated everything he knew, knowing full well that he had one of his models watching him intently, our father. And I couldn't have been more proud of him. It was one of the best training sessions that I had ever seen from him.

And by the time he was done, our father had a ghost of a smile on his lips as he said, "That's my son."

Daitan couldn't have been more surprised by that or by the fact that he wanted to teach him a new jutsu. Which he did. Once he explained and demonstrated the jutsu, he watched as Daitan tried. He struggled at first, and when our father's expression began to change, I quickly walked over and helped. Our mother encouraged him. It took a while, but he eventually learned it and everyone looked proud. Training even continued. As promised, I trained with Kuro, but we had a practice battle, which everyone observed, even my father, who watched us both intently and didn't seem too surprised when I "won." It was the first time that we had ever trained like this. And I hoped that it wouldn't be the last, though I couldn't be sure. But I could only hope. And see where it could go from there. And I knew that I had to keep standing up to my father should the need arise again. I also couldn't help but wonder where we would go from here.


End file.
